New AVIC jet makes debut in Guizhou

The FTC-2000G, a new multirole combat aircraft developed by State-owned defense giant Aviation Industry Corp of China, made its debut flight in Guizhou province’s Anshun on Friday morning.

A yellow FTC-2000G took off at Anshun Huangguoshu Airport and flew for about 10 minutes amid thick clouds. More than 1,000 people, including AVIC executives, provincial leaders as well as ambassadors and military attaches from several nations, took part in the ceremony.

FTC-2000G, designed and built by Guizhou Aviation Industry Group, an AVIC subsidiary, is a fixed-wing, multirole combat plane mainly tasked with airstrikes against ground targets. It can also be used as a fighter jet or trainer aircraft, according to AVIC.

Information from AVIC shows the twin-seat plane is a modified version of an advanced training jet that has been deployed by the Chinese Air Force and Navy. It has a maximum speed of Mach 1.2, or 1,470 kilometers per hour, a maximum takeoff weight of 11 metric tons, a maximum flight range of 2,400 km, and an operational flight ceiling of 15 km.

Equipped with modern radar and fire-control systems, it is capable of staying airborne for three hours in a single operation and can carry as much as three tons of missiles, rockets or bombs, according to the company.

As a light-duty attack aircraft or fighter jet, FTC-2000G is able to replace old models fielded by developing countries such as China’s J-7 and the former Soviet Union’s Mig-21. In the role of trainer aircraft, it can replace China’s FT-7 or British BAE Systems Hawk, and can work with AVIC’s K-8 intermediate jet to form an advanced training systems for military pilots.